Since I'm not popular, Summer is Over
by Beyondthebounds
Summary: Tomoko is preparing for the second year of high school which surely can't go wrong.
1. Chapter 1 The Beginning

Tomoko stood in front of a full length mirror pulling and stretching her lips apart. She had read a forum online that stretching the lips would make them puffier, and in turn, cuter. She wasn't sure so she thought she'd test it. "Still not any cuter." She mumbled looking at herself from every angle. She slumped back to her computer, solemn and lowly.

The second year would be different, she decided with a silent nod. No, she wasn't the freshman she was one year ago, she could talk and would be accepted and popular. And of course, the boys would notice her new alluring personality, and want to date her. She would give off a shy cuteness that boys couldn't possibly resist and then all those girls with their boyfriends would be jealous of her. She laughed to herself about the cleverness of her new plan, while browsing magazine covers.

Tomorrow she would walk in, with her new flirtatious attitude that would be irresistible to the opposite sex and then they would have no choice but to fall for her. And then all the boys with girlfriends would leave them to chase after her; because of her charm and smarts. And then they would get into fights over her and she would play adorably oblivious.

Summer was almost over, Tomoko did her best to convince herself that her nervous feelings were actually excitement. It was a time to start again, and make a new image out of herself. She was going to be one of the cool people, going to karaoke, and no one was going to get in her way of that.

She took a glance at her yellow uniform on her wall, hung like a trophy or a duty waiting to be fulfilled. "Yes." A smile crept onto her lips. "This year will be different."


	2. Since I'm not popular, I Get Gifts

Chapter two:

Gifts

Tomoko trudged through the rain, armed with an umbrella she found a few months ago by a bench. She did her best not to step in the mud holes which used to be puddles, until she finally reached the train station. After her long ride, she past a few trench coats walking by and finally she had reached the long anticipated destination. The water in her socks pulled on every step she took, making it even harder and longer to make it inside. However, she knew with her newly found confidence technique that nothing could go wrong.

Stepping in from the rain, she folded her umbrella, noticing everyone piling their umbrella's on the stands near the shoe lockers. They were talking and laughing. 'Okay.' Thought Tomoko with an unconscious smirk. 'Let operation cool commence.'

She had played it over and over in her head how this would go. She would say hello to the new crowd, and toss her black hair over her face with an air of seduction and mystery. Then everyone would think she was not only cool, but charismatic. Then when she got to class she would introduce herself and force a blush (_She'd been learning how to, over the summer_) so the everyone would think she was cute. Boys would ask her on dates, and girls would talk to her about clothes, and she'd be invited to restaurants and karaoke nights.

She took a step forward. "He-" she cleared her throat. Everyone continued to laugh and joke about the previous summer, while Tomoko tried to project her voice over top of them. "He-h-hello." Tomoko said, finally. No one had heard her or even noticed her. To make things worse they were now walking away.

She reached a hand out taking a small step. "Wa-wait."

It was too late they were gone. Her left sock sunk. '

Still,' thought Tomoko. 'There will be plenty of opportunities.' She nodded to herself as she continued on, holding her backpack strap for emotional support.

Moving on in her plan, she walked to her classroom, just three minutes late, because being three minutes late would mean she'd be the last one in. Then she would make an impression on the full room. She set her timer on her watch, then when it beeped, went over to open the door. She paused. What if someone else thought of the same trick and is just waiting until she goes in first?

Tomoko looked around. No one. She took a deep breath, and turned the knob, stepping in.

"Miss Kuroki, I assume!" Her teachers glasses shined at the prospect of a rule to be enforced. "You're late!" She took a step back from the intimidation, closing the door behind her. She tried to move forward but her head jilted back. 'Oh no.' Tomoko thought. 'My hair is caught in the door.'

Thinking on her feet had to be one of the best things about Tomoko but right now all eyes were on her, and she couldn't think of what to do without letting people know what just happened. 'I'd be a laughing stock if I moved.' She was frozen in terror, but she knew she had to do something. 'It's not over.' she thought to herself. 'I just need to find an excuse to open the door.' 'I-I left my b-b-book in the hall." She said, fumbling to find the knob behind her and running out.

She sat in a ball in the hallway. "That was close." She breathed aloud, but then she started to think. 'What if they knew what was happening, what if the blank faces were of shock and not from being oblivious?' The she thought about it, the less she wanted to go back in. She knew she had to go back nevertheless, so she grudgingly rose up and went back.

"Oh no." She promised to come back with a book. What if she gets asked, what if people notice that she was already wearing her backpack, what if they find it suspicious? Her year couldn't be over, not this soon! Then every joke, every happiness, every chance of popularity would die with her. Then on her grave it would read, 'in memory of the girl who's hair got caught in the door which motivated her untimely end. No one would even go to the funeral except her brother perhaps, if he didn't have a sports game.'

No, this is not how it ends. She opened the door, every face once again on her and only her. She tried not to look at the robotic cold stares of twenty four students and a teacher. 'Yes, well?' His voice annoyed. 'I have the bo.. the book.' "I can't hear you. Speak up." She jumped, and then quickly bowed her head. "I have th-the book now .." He squinted through his glasses trying to understand. "Oh never mind. Go sit down."

She only looked up for a brief moment to find the only seat that was empty, her own seat, from one year before. Not that it surprised her, it _was _a seating arrangement that had already been worked out, but she had an eery feeling it might just be the first year all over again. She sat down and slipped her backpack off. Everyone quickly lost interest.

She glared ahead trying to blend in, (_fading, which happened to be her special ability,) _until she noticed something that snapped her out of her state. A yellow sunflower was on left fore end of her desk.

She looked around for a sign of guilt or observation. No one looked at her at all. Did someone do this for her? They would have to have given her great thought.

A smirk grew on her face. 'I am popular!' She thought as loud as she could. 'But which boy could it be?' She studied their faces, but none of them gave a sign of emotion. Whoever they were, they were obviously good at hiding it. She rolled the stem back and forth between her fingers. Was it really meant for her?

When school was over, she relished the opportunity of going back to the umbrella stand, and in the crowd, she would get her chance to live out her plan.

She stood close to a freshman getting his yellow umbrella. "He-he-he-l" But while she was saying this, he was already on his way out the door. "-lo." She finished. Then quickly realized it had fallen on deaf ears, she grabbed her own umbrella and slouched her way out the door too.

The coach stood outside at the entrance. He gave an enthusiastic, "See ya!" "B-ye." Tomoko said carefully, so she wouldn't stutter. Then she scurried away quickly.

"The rain stopped. "Tomoko said aloud. It was true. The rain had stopped, but the grey sky still threatened to start again. As she stepped onto the train, she shivered off the cold and found an empty seat, folding in her umbrella. An old woman was standing up, so she decided to let her have the seat.

In the corner of her eye, she noticed a man staring at her. He was unshaven with a crazed look in his eye. He was pushing through the crowd to get to her. (_Luckily, she was at her stop and the doors happened to fling open.) _She ran out, unthinking.

Tomoko looked back, the man was now chasing after her. She ran and ran, meanwhile all sorts of thoughts went through her head. _What if he's a murderer? What if he's a pervert, chasing her so he can kidnap her and lock her in his basement. What if he's just crazy?_ These thoughts helped motivate her feet.

She looked back again. _Oh my gosh! He's holding a weapon_. She said, noticing a large hook in his right hand. "Help!" She screamed. "Help!" No one was around though, she had run too far out of the train station bounds. Eventually, her feet gave way and she collapsed in the middle of the street.

"Hey!" The man called out getting closer.

She put her arm in front of her face preparing for a hit of some sort. "Don't kill me!"

"I'm not going to kill you!" Said the man offended and panting.

She removed her arm to see a man drenched in sweat carrying an umbrella.

"You left your umbrella on the seat next to me," he said tossing it to her, and quickly walking away. She dumbfounded forgot how to catch, and the umbrella hit her in the nose. She felt like a fool with a nosebleed, and what's worse, she was sitting in a mud hole.

Once home, she slipped off her shoes and ran to her room and buried her head in a pillow. The 'hook' she thought she saw, was actually the end of her umbrella the man was carrying, _her_ umbrella.

She then preceded to take a shower to crust off the mud, changed, and slid into her desk chair.

Now that she was popular, she should really make a stream. However, last year when she tried this, it ended very badly because she hadn't had a topic to work with. This year, she was different and she knew exactly what she would talk about. She would talk about the monstrous weather.

See how easy that was? That's what she would do.

She put on her white mask and turned the stream on. "Th-the weath-weather is"

The first comment popped up, 'why is she wearing a mask?'

"Th-th-the we-weather is ho-horrible."

The second comment read, 'What is this?'

'You know, it-it's bad its re-re-really ba-ad."

Third comment, 'Seriously? You're talking about the weather?'

Tomoko began to panic. 'I do-do-do-don't,"

Fourth comment, 'Spit it out!'

The comment only made her backtrack even more. "I-I it-it never mind!"

She turned off the computer with a huge sigh. She flicked the mask off the corner of the room.

Tomoko rested her head on her keyboard, shaking it in embarrassment. _No not this time,_ Tomoko thought. _Maybe next year_. (Which is what she had said one year ago.)

The next day the sun had come out, and the only dark clouds in sight, were over Tomoko's head. She was still dwelling on her stream attempt from last night.

Again, she found herself at school, so she breathed in deeply in preparation. _It will be better today,_ She thought to herself, clenching her fist in pure enthusiasm.

Going over to a few friends who were gathering to say hello, something red caught her eye. There was something in her shoe locker. Not anyone else, _hers_. She was so stunned her mouth opened into an O. She changed direction to her shoe locker, and sticking to the top of her shoe locker was a red balloon.

_A red balloon? _She looked around. _Could this possibly be a gift from someone?_ Her eyes glittered in excitement. A secret admirer? She had a secret admirer!

She dwelled on this gift all day. _Why a red balloon, what did it mean? Red is a color symbolic of many things, anger, revenge, passion, luck_. She gulped as she considered the final meaning. "Romance." She whispered to herself.

Tomoko sat on the gym floor while the other girls played volley ball.

What if it was a boy who wanted to date her, and gave it to her as a symbolic gesture? Then they would fall in love, and he would pin her to the wall and kiss her passionately like in her manga's...

As Tomoko dived into this elaborate thought, she didn't notice a white ball flying her way. It hit her in the face and she fainted. "Coach! I think she needs to go to the nurse!" Shouted a concerned player.

Tomoko woke up to a light. She blinked twice, and a light bulb came into focus. Her face felt numb. She was in a bed, a hospital bed. "Why am I in the nurses office?" She was asking, to no one in peticular. She looked around her. Something yellow caught her eye.

On the empty drawer, next to the windows, and closest to her bed, was a yellow sunflower. "Sunflower." She mumbled. It was an exact replica of the one she'd received yesterday. _Who did this?_ There was no doubt in Tomoko's mind anymore, if there ever was one. She _was_ popular because she _had, in fact, _a secret admirer.

After school had ended, Tomoko hurried to her shoe locker to see if there was anything else. Disappointed, she saw that there was not. The red balloon still stuck to the top though. So she slipped on her shoes. She felt something in her left shoe. Taking the shoe back off, she shook it out and a white folded paper floated to the floor.

_A message! For me!_ Tomoko was stunned, and hesitated picking it up. It said, in large letters, **'Meet me behind the school at 6 pm'. **_Someone wants to talk to me, me! But of course he does, he's taken in by my fearless charm. _Tomoko was so excited, she unconsciously crumpled the paper in her shaking palm. _Alright, he wants to meet, then lets meet_. Tomoko smirked widely.

Tomoko didn't want to go early, that would make her appear desperate. So, to kill time, she went to her favorite shop. It was her comic book store. She spent time browsing the new and upcoming releases. Her eye caught a boy and girl kissing on the cover of Kimi ni Todoke. _Soon, that'll be me and him, er .., whoever he is ..._

After a sufficient time, Tomoko left the shop. Walking down the sidewalk, she kept her head low, looking at the cracks in the pavement. Something made her look up. Her name.

"Tomoko."

The first thing she saw was Megami Imae and her smiling face. The sun was behind her, so it gave Megami a halo effect.

Tomoko stepped back, an arm raised defensively in shock. "Im-I-Im-Imae."

Megami's smile dropped. "Oh, I suppose that was rude." Megami bowed low, her bangs hanging in front of her face. "Please forgive me, Kuroki-san."

Tomoko shook her head, reaching out her hand."N-no it's fine."

Megami's smile returned. "Good I was worried." She placed a hand on her heart.

All Tomoko could think to say was, "B-b-beaut-beautiful day is-isn't it?"

Megami's eyes lit up. "I was just thinking the exact same thing! She looked behind her, towards the sun. She turned forward a little, so Tomoko could see half of her face. "I love the sun in the evening, pretty color. Don't you agree?"

Tomoko nodded quickly. "Y-yes."

"Well," The look in her eyes faded and became more serious. "it was great seeing you Kuroki-san, I hope we run into each other again soon."

With a determined skip in her step, Megami walked past Tomoko, leaving her frozen in anxiety.

Tomoko blinked a few times before regaining her posture. _That was a rattling coincidence. _

However, Tomoko shook it off, as she reached the school again, and peeked behind the school. A boy in school uniform was leaning against the wall, both hands in his pockets. However, Tomoko Kuroki was no spy, he immediately saw her.

"Hello?" The unknown boy said.

"H-hello I-I got yo-your letter." _Damn, why do I have to stutter at an important time like this? _Tomoko walked over to him, bowed, and held out his letter.

"Oh no." The boy said. "I put it in the wrong one ..." He dropped his face into his hands.

Tomoko looked up. "What?"

"I am so sorry." He said lifting his head. "It was a mistake. I must have put the letter in the wrong locker."

Tomoko stopped breathing. _I'm not popular, I don't have a secret admirer. All the gifts, all the happy surprises, were just a mistake. I was just a mistake. _

"I see," Tomoko said, which was truly all she could muster.

"B-but the fl-lowers in the nur-nurses office?"

Now he looked confused. "I don't know what you mean, but I have to leave." He said eyeing his watch. "Again, I apologize." He bowed, and walked away, leaving her, quite pathetically, with a piece of paper in her hand.


	3. Since I'm not popular, I have an admirer

"So, you have no idea?" Asked a concerned Yuu Naruse.

Tomoko shook her head.

"Gee, that is really ...strange. It could of happened to anyone though."

Tomoko looked up into Yuu's eyes, contemplating the situation.

She had called Yuu, here to this café, where Yuu used to work one year before, to discuss the past week.

However, Yuu couldn't really help her. Yuu was used to saying the most reassuring responses, things with light undertones to them. It made her incredibly sociable, but when it came to these situations, she was out of her element. Tomoko could sense that.

Tomoko's fists clenched under the table. _She doesn't get it, it wasn't anyone, it was me. _

"There are plenty of other men out there, so don't be disappointed." Yuu resolved, giving a small smile.

_That's easy for her to say_, thought Tomoko bitterly. _Cute, popular, charismatic, everything a guy or girl would ever want. _

"B–but I'm still getting the sunflowers!" Blurted Tomoko.

She looked away, her eyes shifting side to side.

"Eh?" A blank Yuu asked with a stare, "Hmmm..."

A week had passed since the boy mistook her locker as hers. However, everyday, the sunflowers still appeared on her desk. The boy had been confused when she told him about the red balloon, so none of it made any sense. It was confusing, no boy in her class seemed the least bit interested in Tomoko. Yet, a flower, like a ghostly existence, was always there.

Yuu sat pondering this while Tomoko took a sip of her drink.

"I've got it!" Said Yuu suddenly, causing Tomoko to spill her drink.

"What?" asked Tomoko intensely, looking through the corner of her eye to start wiping it up.

Yuu's eyes lit up. "I don't know if I'm right but .." She looked to the side, biting her lip.

Tomoko blinked, waiting silently.

"What if .." Yuu began, "there's more then one?"

Tomoko blinked. "More then one what?"

Yuu leaned in, blushing. "Secret admirer, of course!"

_Another one?_ Tomoko went blank. _That would change everything. If Yuu is right, I have a secret admirer! I'm popular after all! But more secret admirers, how would that even work?_

"I know that it's a bit coincidental, but what if there is? What if the balloon and the note had just been given to you on the same day? Maybe the sunflower was someone else also .. Or maybe the same .. "

_Two admirers?! _Tomoko swallowed in shock.

In this moment, Tomoko knew, beyond doubt, she must be popular.

_Of course! It all made sense now! My charm couldn't have fallen short! My wit and my demeanor were all effective!_

Tomoko hurried to school the next day, more confident then ever before. She was smirking, lop–sided. "Yes!" Tomoko said aloud, clenching her fist. She was now facing the school. "Operation secret admirer commence!"

She checked her locker straightaway, but to her disappointment, it was plain and untouched.

However, a beautiful sunflower was there on her desk, when she got to class, once again. _Why won't he confront me?_ The sweet scent of honey whiffed off the petals. "Mmm." Tomoko mumbled, quietly. _Nobody's head turned, I'm ignored as usual. Still, I have a secret admirer and I will get to the bottom of this. No matter what,_ Tomoko decided. _I have to know_. _If he won't tell me, I'll have to figure it out. The problem is it could be anyone, absolutely any_–

"Miss Kuroki!" The teacher's glasses shined.

Tomoko flinched, her body jilting up.

The teacher seemed to think it was an act of respect, so he began to speak, softening his tone."Since you appear to be daydreaming in my class, I will have you be the volunteer to deliver these textbooks with Sento–kun."

He pointed to a pile of text books on his desk. "Room 2-C."

Tomoko, head down, walked over and scooped up the textbooks, walking out with the plain Japanese–looking boy. She could hear him chewing gum.

_How annoying_, thought Tomoko.

They walked over to room 2-C and dropped off the textbooks to a half full class. Sento–kun did the talking, while Tomoko simply nodded, offering the books.

Walking back to class, Tomoko kept her head down. Sento–kun, a member of the opposite sex, was behind her, and that caused her awful anxiety.

Suddenly Tomoko heard a loud _pop_ behind her, which caused to look back at a Sento-kun, who's hand was out to touch her. Her eyes widened quickly.

"Uhm .." He put his hand back down. He looked away quickly and kept walking.

Tomoko was shocked solid, lost in her thoughts. _Did he try to touch me? H-he's fallen for my beauty and mystery?! Could it be? _She continued to watch him walk, following behind him, slowly. Tomoko let out a small gasp in realization. _Is he my secret admirer?! _Luckily, he didn't hear it, continuing on.

Sento-kun disappeared into the class room and tomoko felt someone bump into to her from behind.

"Tomoko." Megumi Imae rubbed her arm and stated, "I'm so sorry Kuroki-san!"

She gave a courtesy bow and laughed nervously.

Tomoko just blinked at her, unable to say anything.

"I'm sorry about that, it seems like I'm always in a rush lately."

Tomoko bowed back. "I -I'm sorry i-imae .." She stopped suddenly, noticing the green band around Megumi's arm. "Your arm .." She accidentally said aloud.

Megumi Imae blinked blankly, then proceeded to smile and explain, "It's my club crest." She told Tomoko quickly. "We're the nature club. We come in everyday before school starts. My life has been a bit hectic since school started."

She sighed, then ran off, turning to wave. "Bye Kuroki-san!"

Tomoko waved back awkwardly, then dropped her head back down to follow Sento-kun inside.

Tomoko walked in and sat back down in her seat, the hairs of her neck stood up, and she immediately looked to her right. Sento-kun was looking at her. Once she glanced back, he looked away again.

Tomoko smirked. _It's all going according to my plan! He'll eventually grow closer and closer, and eventually, he'll fall in love with me, and it will be like a high school drama, only in real life. _Tomoko laughed under her breath of her own genius.

After school, Tomoko made her way back to the shoe locker to take another look inside. Nothing was there. Tomoko slouched in disappointment.

Someone came behind her, placing a hand on her hair, and Tomoko went stiff, slowly turning.

"Tomoko." Sento-kun spoke quickly, awfully flustered.

"Se-se-se-se-se-sento-kun!" Tomoko bowed a few times.

"Ah ... nevermind." Sento scratched his head and walked away, quite quickly.

Tomoko blinked a few times, then clenched her fists with a grin as she watched him scurry away.

_Operation secret admirer, success!_


End file.
